Egypt and Turkey Discuss Implementation of Gaza Ceasefire with Hamas

Xinhua News Agency, Cairo, June 30 (Reporter Xu Haofu) - Egyptian and Turkish intelligence officials met with several senior officials of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on the 30th to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire.

According to Egyptian media reports, a delegation of senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Meshaal, arrived in Cairo earlier that day to resume negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Egyptian General Intelligence Director Hassan Rashad held talks with Turkish National Intelligence Organization Director Hakan Fidan and the Hamas delegation.

Reports indicate that the talks among the three parties made "positive progress." All parties expressed optimism regarding the U.S. proposal to end the Gaza conflict. Hamas officials confirmed their full support for and implementation of the plan.

According to sources from the Egyptian security department who spoke to Xinhua reporters on the same day, the purpose of the Hamas delegation's visit was to consult with the Egyptian side regarding the new proposal from Nikolay Mladenov, the U.S.-initiated so-called "Peace Committee" senior representative for Gaza. Mladenov suggested that the Gaza ceasefire negotiations should focus on the issue of Hamas' "weapons storage" rather than disarmament. Additionally, he proposed allowing Hamas to participate in the administration of the Gaza Strip. Sources said that Hamas has accepted Mladenov's proposal, but both proposals have been opposed by Israel.

Hamas issued a statement on the 30th saying that the primary task of the Hamas delegation is to stop Israel's escalating violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and to ensure that Israel commits to allowing all necessary supplies to enter the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, the talks will further discuss the roadmap for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Previously, representatives of various Palestinian factions held talks in Cairo on the 7th of this month with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, the mediators of the ceasefire, to discuss promoting the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and transitioning to negotiations for the second phase.

In January of this year, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey issued a joint statement announcing the establishment of the Palestinian Technocratic Committee, which will manage the Gaza Strip, with its work to be conducted under the guidance of the U.S.-led so-called "Peace Committee."